Dodgers Bet on Josue De Paula, Hyeseong Kim for NLDS

The Los Angeles Dodgers have made a significant roster decision for the NLDS, selecting Hyeseong Kim and Josue De Paula. Despite Alex Call and Dalton Rushing being potential options, the Dodgers have opted for a different approach by bringing in two players who promise to provide significant upside.

Josue De Paula, who has only played designated hitter so far, is a promising hitter with an impressive on-base percentage of .323, a .545 slugging percentage, and a 1.081 OPS over 11 games. He is known for getting on base half the time and making hitters work for their hits. As per the Dodgers' president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, De Paula is expected to play as a left-handed pinch hitter in the postseason, offering a spark plug and insurance if Shohei Ohtani's injuries affect his performance.

On the other hand, Hyeseong Kim, who had not played in the major leagues since May due to Mookie Betts' oblique injury, joins the Dodgers with a strong batting average of .363, a .330 on-base percentage, and a .345 slugging percentage over 85 games. He has three home runs, 12 doubles, and 15 stolen bases. The Dodgers brought Kim on board for his defensive skills, ability to play both infield and outfield, and his speed, which makes him a great pinch-running asset.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman highlighted that foot speed is a significant strength in their team, which is why he chose Kim for this role. While De Paula and Kim may not start or feature in every game, their unique skills can potentially change the trajectory of games in the postseason.